Campion, who is also the only female film-maker to have ever taken home the French event's top prize, the Palme d'Or, described her passion for the world's most famous film festival in a statement.

"Since I first went to Cannes with my short films in 1986 I have had the opportunity to see the festival from many sides and my admiration for this Queen of film festivals has only grown larger," she said. "At the Cannes film festival they manage to combine and celebrate the glamour of the industry, the stars, the parties, the beaches, the business, while rigorously maintaining the festival's seriousness about the Art and excellence of new world cinema."

Campion follows Steven Spielberg onto the Croisette, the US director having overseen last year's festival. The New Zealand-born director is a regular at Cannes, having won the prize for best short film in 1986 for Peel and returned in 2009 to present her film Bright Star in competition. In 2013 Campion oversaw the short film jury and presided over the Cinefondation section.

Cannes director Thierry Fremaux added: "We are immensely proud that Jane Campion has accepted our invitation. She is one of those directors who perfectly embody the idea that you can make films as an artist and yet still appeal to a worldwide public."

Campion's appointment will be seen as a mark of intent by Cannes organisers at an event which has received criticism in the past for its failure to honour female film-makers. In 2012 newspaper Le Monde carried a protest letter from the feminist collective La Barbe, signed by notable French female film-makers including Virginie Despentes, Coline Serreau and Fanny Cottençon, decrying the failure of the festival to nominate a single female director for that year's Palme D'Or.